Effects of physical training, associated or not with probiotic supplementation on structural and functional changes in the colon of rats treated with dexamethasone

• Grant number: 22/11107-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2022
• End date: November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Lia do Amaral Cardoso
• Grantee: Laís Ferreira Inácio
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The use of dexamethasone (DEX), widely used in the clinic, is related to the loss of species diversity in the intestinal microbiota, which may determine a modulation in the host's immune response. On the other hand, the use of probiotics, as well as physical training, has been shown to influence the microbiota, however, its effects are still inconclusive. Therefore, the aim of the present study will be to analyze the possible effects of DEX on the anatomical and functional structure of the colon and whether these effects can be attenuated by supplementation with probiotics or by physical training. Eight groups of seven rats each (200-250g) will be used, as follows: I) SControl - sedentary control will receive water by gavage and subcutaneous saline; II) SDEX - sedentary patient treated with subcutaneous DEX; III) SProb - sedentary treated with Prob; IV) SDEXProb - sedentary treated with both DEX and Prob; V) TC- trained control; VI) TDEX- trained and treated with DEX; VII) TProb- trained and supplemented with probiotic and TDEXProb- trained treated with DEX and supplemented with probiotic. The protocol will have a total duration of 74 days of supplementation with Yakult ® fermented milk and combined physical training (TFR + TFA), and in the last 14 days the rats will also receive treatment with DEX (50 ¼g/kg BW, s.c.) or saline. Histological analyzes will be performed to evaluate the structure of the colon (hematoxylin-eosin), for function: Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS, mucus production), cell proliferation nuclear antigen (PCNA, cell turnover) and toluidine blue (apoptosis). The results will be presented as mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM), two- and three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and, for results that show interaction, Tukey's post-hoc will be used (p<0.05)